Kodachrome Basin State Park

Within striking distance of Bryce Canyon lies a landscape full of monolithic stone spires known as sedimentary pipes. Here, the stone towers complement multicolored sandstone layers, hinting at 180 million years of geologic time. In 1948, a National Geographic Society expedition was so taken with Kodachrome Basin’s vibrant beauty that it named the area after the popular color film. Now, visitors come from all over to camp, hike, and ride horses through the enchanting setting.

About 20 minutes outside Bryce Canyon National Park, along the red-and-white striped Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, lies the underrated Kodachrome Basin State Park. For about $15, you can camp beneath oddly-shaped sandstone spires and watch the sky become a technicolored backdrop to their silhouettes. The park was named Kodachrome Basin for the layers of color found here, like early photographs that used kodachrome film.